Witnesses say angry woman on bike tore down Houston art exhibit

Updated 12:23 pm, Monday, June 17, 2013

Photo: Melissa Phillip, Houston Chronicle

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Volunteer Pia Byrd helps install yarn art pieces to an arbor in the esplanade of Heights Boulevard between16th and 17th Street Saturday, June 8, 2013, in Houston. Artist Mary Goldsby enlisted volunteers to help make and hang the yarn art to the arbor as part of International Yarnbombing Day. The exhibit is permitted by the City of Houston to be displayed for one month. less

An International Yarn Bombing Day installation on a park trellis in the Heights was partially torn down Saturday after it was only up for a week, since June 8.

The project was headed by Heights resident Mary Goldsby, who was helped by 24 volunteers, including the Heights Knit Chicks.

It was to be up for a month, and Goldsby had obtained a permit for the yarn to be up at the 1600 block of Heights Blvd., between 16th and 17th Street.

Houston Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000 in cash rewards for any information that leads to an arrest in the vandalization of the yarn bombing exhibit. If the information leads to felony charges, or a felony arrest, callers will be eligible for the Crime Stoppers reward.

According to officials, approximately $10,000 in damage was caused by the vandal.

So far two people have come forward to say that on Saturday they witnessed an older woman ride up to the trellis on a bicycle and proceeded to angrily tear down the yarn. The suspect only tore down the bottom half, leaving the top untouched. The other pieces were found in a nearby trash bin.

Office supply store Staples donated a sign to the effort to catch the yarn bombing vandal.

Anyone with information about the identity of the suspect is asked to contact Crime Stoppers of Houston at (713) 222-TIPS (8477).